Me in blogland...: Restaurant review: Lagnaa Barefoot Dining at Little India, Singapore

Last month, I met up with two of my dental school friends for dinner. One of them was leaving Singapore so it was a mini farewell of sorts. For the venue, we picked Lagnaa Barefoot Dining restaurant located in Little India.

The reason we picked this venue was because they offered the concept of barefoot dining and have the Michelin Bib Gourmand nod.

At Lagnaa, you are invited to slip off your footwear, get comfy on the floor and partake in mouth-watering Indian fare. The barefoot dining concept is not new to those of us who grew up in an Indian household, especially a South Indian household where sitting on the floor cross legged and eating from a plantain leaf used to be a common if not everyday occurrence. But after moving away from the homeland, you tend to leave parts of your cultural habits behind. And so, we welcomed the idea of sitting barefoot on the floor and enjoying a meal together.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, I hadn't been to Little India in an exceptionally long time. In fact, I was finding it hard to remember the last time I had been there. I happened to reach early so spent some time walking around and taking in all the familiar sights, sounds and smells.

This a one-of-a-kind bistro is located at 6 Upper Dickson Road, an offshoot of Serangoon road. Look out for the chef statue out front and you will not miss it.

Lagnaa is housed in a white shop house building which has a rustic dated look to it. There is invited graffiti on the white arch at the entrance done by satisfied customers. You will notice several hanging alcohol bottles flanking the entrance.

Since I was one of the first patrons to arrive, the friendly manager Santhi joined me at an outdoor table for some light-hearted banter. I also spoke to the charming chef Kaesavan (K7), the founder and mastermind of Lagnaa who champions Indian cuisine and dares to be different. Lagnaa means "your essence" in Tamil. Chef Kaesavan is no stranger to the F&B industry. He spent years perfecting his recipes and techniques to create a dining experience around the six ayurvedic flavours of Indian cuisine: Sweet, spicy, bitter, salty, sour, astringent and chilli. He was a bit disappointed to learn that we would be ordering only vegetarian food but we nonetheless had an illuminating chat about food 😊 I learnt more about the restaurant, the cuisine and the philosophy behind it.

Once my friends arrived, we did the Safe Entry Check-In and showed our completed vaccination status. After that the three of us made our way upstairs.

The ground floor is open (non-AC) and has a long and narrow configuration, a bright yellow accent wall and wooden tables and chairs providing a regular dining experience.

The top floor is where the barefoot dining experience is and this space is fully air-conditioned. You are to leave your footwear at the bottom of the stairs. My advice is that if you have bad knees or are unable to sit on the floor for a prolonged duration then it is better you avoid this option. Also, remember to wear pants or a long dress or skirt for a more comfortable experience 😊

This level typically looks like the inside of a shophouse. With wooden floor and accents, white walls, mood lighting, warm tones, low tables and patterned cushions, the space has a more homely and inviting look.

The menu has a good selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, both North-Indian and South-Indian. Know that you can choose your spice level — from 1 (for those who prefer it mild) to a 10 (for the hardcore chilli fans). Even if you are a self-confessed spice lover, you can’t just jump straight to the highest level. To get there, you have to start from level 1 and work your way up. Only those who pass level 6 get to proceed to the finale. Those who complete level 7 get food on the house. Those who complete level 3 and above will get a clothes peg with your name on it, pinned on the restaurant’s “Wall Of Fame”.

And the chef runs a Chilli Challenge for those who dare to put their money where their mouth is. Finish a full portion of Level 10 Curry without the assistance of any yoghurt or milk based product and you could go home $10,000 richer!

Are you tempted to try?? Not to deter you but I think it is my duty to mention that no one has done it before 😆

None of us were up for any kind of chilli challenge (living overseas can gradually diminish one's tolerance to spice) so we ordered a few items to share with moderate spice levels. My husband would be a much better sport at attempting a chilli challenge so I made a mental note to bring him here. Keep in mind that they don't serve water at the table. You would need to go and get it yourself. Not a big deal for me but I obviously can't speak for everybody.

Mint Lassi

We ordered the mint lassi because that is something that we don't usually see on the menu at Indian restaurants over here. The mint lassi was very good indeed. Chilled, refreshing and made with yoghurt that wasn't too tart. I'm glad I ordered this instead of the usual mango lassi.

Paneer Tikka

I have said this more times than I can recall. I LOVE paneer tikka. I will order it without fail at any Indian restaurant I'm at. I love it when restaurants get paneer tikka right. When the paneer pieces are melt-in-the mouth soft and completely take on the flavour of that grilled moreish tandoori-style marinade. The paneer tikka at Lagnaa ticked all the boxes. I only wished there was more of it.

Naan

For the main course, we ordered butter naan with two curries. The naans were well made - warm, soft yet crispy. When used to mop up the curries, they made for a satisfying main course.

Palak Paneer

I did quite like Lagnaa's rendition of palak paneer. It was not overwhelmed by spices, slightly chunky and you could really appreciate the subtle flavour of the spinach. The soft cubes of cottage cheese were very tasty in the curry.

Dal Makhni

A well-made dal makhni takes comfort food a notch higher. The dal makhni had a nice creamy consistency and mildly spiced buttery flavour. It is good to know that a vegan version can be made on request.

Upara Rice

We had never heard of this rice before so out of curiosity we ordered it. The Upara rice turned out to be the highlight of the evening. I was surprised by how simple yet how flavourful it was. The long grains of rice were separate, cooked perfectly and the subtle flavour made it perfect to eat along with the curries we had ordered.

Recommended.

Rumala

I'm not sure if I have spelled this beverage right. This was recommended to us by the helpful staff as a finishing touch to our meal. It is basically a rum infused chai. Again, I had never sampled an alcohol-infused hot beverage before so I was curious.

This drink served two and was unexpectedly amazing. It was sweet, aromatic and had predominant notes of cinnamon which if you love, you will definitely love the drink as well. A very nice palate cleanser. I would order this again 😊

Recommended.

Initially the restaurant was empty but by the time we left, it was bustling. The diners seemed to be enjoying good conversation and having a good time.

We had a lovely time reminiscing about our glory days and sharing our hopes and dreams for the future. We left with hearts and bellies full!

My verdict:

If you are in the neighbourhood of Little India and are looking for a different dining experience, I wholeheartedly recommend Lagnaa Barefoot Dining. My friends and I spent an enjoyable evening amidst nice ambience, great conversation and good food. The staff were gracious and attentive the whole time and the service was faultless. I appreciated the little personal touches which enhanced the overall experience. We liked the menu options which consisted mostly of crowd favourites but peppered here and there with unique dishes that piqued our interest. All the dishes we sampled were executed well and had good flavour. But I do have to mention that the portion sizes are relatively small. The prices are a bit higher compared to other Indian restaurants in the area with an expected damage of $50-60 per person. That said, keep in mind that the food is cooked fresh with good quality ingredients and caters to an individual's preferred spice level. And the barefoot dining concept is a novelty that enhances the dining experience 😊

I recommend this restaurant for couples, families and small groups of friends or colleagues.

My rating for this restaurant is